After 80 years, the authentic “Holy Fire-Offering Homa Dharma” was performed again to eliminates disasters, staves off hardships, removes hindrances and increases good fortune. The Vajra Maternal Buddha arrived in the sky and personally lit the fire.

(Reported by Nangqiong Nuosang) On September 19, 2018, one of tremendously holy virtue conducted a “Holy Fire-Offering Dharma Assembly” that was officially held at the Holy Miracles Temple in the United States. The dharma assembly took place at the Grand Hall of the Buddhas and the courtyard right outside the hall. It was a complete success.

The attendees of this dharma assembly, which is extremely rare and almost impossible to come by, attended under two types of karmic conditions. Under the first type of condition, there were direct attendees who are persons of holy virtue, eminent monastics, abbots of Buddhist temples, and leaders of Buddhist organizations. Their attendance was determined by a Yu-Zun, Wang Zha Shang-Zun, Mozhi Jiao-Zun, or Dharma King Gar Tongstan. Under the second type of condition, there were attendees whose attendance accorded with karmic conditions. They encountered the occasion by happenstance and hence attended the dharma assembly.

Fire-offering dharma is a great dharma in Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism, fire-offering is especially of significant importance. In places such as Tibet and India, even common people are almost all highly familiar with this well-known great dharma that eliminates disasters, staves off hardships, removes hindrances and increases good fortune. This Buddha-dharma is also known as the “Holy Fire-Offering Homa Dharma.” However, the authentic “Holy Fire-Offering Homa Dharma” is hardly performed even once in a hundred years. What people often attended were just regular fire-offering dharma assemblies. The empowerment produced from “Holy Fire-Offering Homa Dharma” and that produced from a regular fire-offering is as different as heaven and earth, as different as one step versus ten thousand miles.

When Wang Zha Shang-Zun and two great holy virtuous ones spoke about what they personally experienced, they said that in the last 100 years, the famous Master Pabongka, also known as the Great Sun Tathagata, and Kangsa Rinpoche, also known as the Great Moon Tathagata, had both performed this dharma. A great holy virtuous person of Gold Button Grade 2 said, “I have learned this dharma but have not succeeded in the practice of it. It appears that I am still lacking in dharma powers and abilities and that I still have to make efforts. In the last several decades, I have yet to see any great holy virtuous person, great dharma king, or great dharma master successfully practice a holy fire-offering dharma. If a holy fire-offering is not successfully performed, it can only have the effect of a regular fire-offering.”

What are the differences between a successful practice and an unsuccessful practice? First, people claim that the regular fire-offering dharma from the Tibetan tradition and the fire-offerings from the lineage of Eastern esoteric Buddhism (woodpile grand dharma assemblies) are so extraordinary. After looking into it, it turns out that the fire in these dharmas are lit by people. How could such empowerment be remotely compared to the empowerment from a fire ignited by Buddhas or holy deities? A holy fire-offering is different. It requires beseeching nine Tathagatas, Vajra Maternal Buddha, Prajna Maternal Buddha, and the holy assembly of dharma-protectors to personally arrive at the fire-mandala. It is an authentic holy fire-offering only when the Vajra Maternal Buddha arrives in the sky and personally lights the fire.

During this holy fire-offering dharma assembly, good and faithful Buddhists sat on both sides of the Grand Hall of the Buddhas. With watchful eyes, they personally witnessed in close proximity the whole process of that dharma assembly. The fire-offering mandala involves the use of numerous different dharma instruments. A cauldron was newly made for the fire-offering mandala just in time for the dharma assembly. It was a clean cauldron made of pure copper, with no electrical or ignition device inside. A flat table and all the dharma instruments, including the fire cauldron, were wiped thoroughly clean from top to bottom by more than ten volunteers on site. The fire cauldron was placed on that flat table. Pieces of sandalwood were put inside the cauldron. The table was then moved closer to the door of the Grand Hall.

The one of tremendously holy virtue who conducted the dharma performed the rituals in accordance with the dharma. The dharma seat of the one of tremendously holy virtue was about fifty meters away from the fire cauldron. Bodi Wentu Ru-Zun, a person of holy virtue at the level of Gold Button Grade 1, served as the “Fire-Ignition Guardian.” He soaked the fire stick with butter oil, then walked toward the fire cauldron. With each step he took, he chanted one mantra character. He originally intended to light the fire, but when he was about six meters away from the cauldron, he suddenly changed his mind. He stood still, looked up and said loudly, “This Holy Fire-Mandala Homa Dharma is being performed by the Namo One of Tremendously Holy Virtue. Would Vajra Maternal Buddha please ignite the fire. If Vajra Maternal Buddha does not ignite the fire, I, disciple Bodi Wentu, will ignite the fire.” He then made a deep bow. Standing at a place a distance away, the one of tremendously holy virtue then said loudly, “Would Vajra Maternal Buddha please ignite the homa fire to eliminate hindrances for living beings and increase their good fortune!” As soon as those words were spoken, Vajra Maternal Buddha suddenly appeared in the sky. I saw Vajra Maternal Buddha flick her finger sending forth a flash of light. The fire inside the cauldron then ignited. Initially, there was no trace of fire inside the cauldron; then, suddenly, the cauldron was ablaze with raging fire. Bodi Wentu was so taken aback that he quickly moved away. He then immediately turned around and began to prostrate. When everyone there saw from close proximity the sudden ignition of the flames, they instantly knelt on the ground and kowtowed. Everyone was extremely excited. Subsequently, in accordance with the rituals, the attendees began to pray and burn homa-offerings.

A Buddhist disciple took the initiative to place the vajra demon-subduing bowl, which is used in a holy fire-offering, upside down on a small flat table. According to the meaning of the dharma, demons and evil karma from everyone attending the fire-offering are collected and subdued inside the bowl. The demons tried in vain to escape from the bowl, using all of their strength to shake the bowl. At this critical moment, a sound of “Hong” was heard! Vajra Maternal Buddha launched a flash of lightning, turning all the malicious demons and black karma inside the bowl into pulverized powder. The souls of the demons were brought to a Buddha-land by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to be edified under rigorous discipline.

All these times, the one of tremendously holy virtue remained at a distance and did not come close to any dharma instruments or dharma tables. Subsequently, the great dharma of “Secretly Sending a Petition to a Bodhisattva” was performed. All attendees on site heard the inverted vajra demon-subduing bowl that they were viewing, with its opening completely sealed by the flat surface of the table, emit a loud sound of “Hong.” A flame resembling lightning swirled around the edge of bowl, then vanished. Thereafter, attendees of the assembly turned the bowl over and saw that there was nothing either under or inside the bowl. The “petition” secretly sent to the Bodhisattva had already been taken away. Under the watchful eyes of the assembly, the petition simply disappeared without a trace. The dharma of “Secretly Sending a Petition to a Bodhisattva” was successfully performed! Meanwhile, the burned demonic corpses emitted an extremely foul odor, much worse than any kind of stinky odor in the world. All those who sniffed the bowl found the foul odor so unbearable that their facial expressions looked distorted. The true state of the holy fire-offering dharma had been performed to perfection.

According to my understanding, the holy fire-offering dharma had not been successfully performed in more than eighty years. Everyone talked about it in theory, but Buddhas and Bodhisattvas did not appear. Regardless of who performed the dharma, there was not one holy homa dharma assembly that manifested the true state of the dharma like this one. That is to say, within the territory of Tibet, India, and other countries in the world, such a magnificent fire-offering dharma assembly did happen more than eighty years ago. Now is the second time it has happened, enabling us to personally witness and experience right then and there the supreme magnificence of the true dharma of the Tathagatas.

During this holy fire-offering dharma assembly, there were manifestations of unprecedented holy states and boundless mighty power. What is more magnificent is that the smoke from the fire-offering mandala rose up inside the grand hall, densely spreading over all of the top of the hall, yet the smoke detectors on the ceiling did not sound any alarm. That was so miraculous. Normally, when one is halfway through smoking a cigarette inside that grand hall, the alarm would sound, and water would sprinkle down. The power demonstrated by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in that holy dharma assembly was so marvelous and subtle.

Such were the extremely wonderful holy miracles from the holy homa fire-offering. The good and faithful Buddhists attendees were very moved. Even the well-known Mozhi Jiao-Zun lost his calm. He was so excited that his facial expression looked twisted. Everyone did their utmost to present offerings to the one of tremendously holy virtue, but the one of tremendously holy virtue did not accept even one cent, and simply told everyone to keep their offerings.

In this world, the Holy Miracles Temple has now established an authentic inner-tantric mandala because everyone on site personally witnessed the “Secretly Sending a Petition to a Bodhisattva.” However, the one of tremendously holy virtue said, “It would be best if you yourselves found one of greatly holy virtue to perform ‘Lifting the Three Vajra Phurbas.’ In this way, a real object can be placed there for worship to demonstrate that an inner-tantric mandala has truly been established.”

I personally attended that assembly in which the great dharma of the real holy fire-offering was performed. It made me deeply feel that what a great holy virtuous person said is correct: “A regular fire-offering in comparison to a holy fire-offering is like one hair in comparison to the hairs of nine oxen. It is just like child’s play.” No wonder a Jiao-Zun said, “The merit from a holy fire-offering in which Vajra Maternal Buddha appears in the sky to ignite the fire is several thousand times greater than the merit from a regular fire-offering in which a person ignites the fire.”

The fire cauldron, offering tables, and related dharma instruments used in that holy fire-offering will all be placed for worship at the Holy Miracles Temple.

At this point, I would also like to mention a very important matter. On September 19th after the holy fire-offering dharma assembly was successfully completed, the Namo one of tremendously holy virtue announced right then and there in the Grand Hall of the Buddhas: “Today’s great dharma assembly has already been conducted. Dharma King Gar Tongstan has been waiting for this dharma assembly. This is the last dharma assembly from which he receives empowerment.”

In an announcement issued by the World Buddhism Association Headquarters just a few days ago, Dharma King Gar Tongstan said that once a last dharma assembly is conducted, he would pass away as soon as possible in a state of liberation. Two dharma masters urged him to stay for the sake of propagating dharma to save living beings. The Dharma King said, “With the Buddha Master living in the world, my level of realization would not be of much use! Life is a dream. Sooner or later, one has to leave. When causes and conditions come together, there is illusory existence. With the ending of those conditions, such existence breaks down. That’s it. I won’t stay!” He also said, “I have control over my birth and death. I can leave at whatever time I want to leave. My situation is different from that of Zhao Yusheng, a person of holy virtue, who relied on Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to receive him at a set time.”

Dharma King Gar Tongstan truly fulfilled his words regarding his control over his own birth and death. On September 20th, the day after the dharma assembly, he took a bath, put on his dharma robe, and laid out stationary before his dharma seat. He wrote a farewell letter to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III ( 多杰羌佛 )in which he stated that he will “pass away in a state of liberation before the ink dries.” Having stated that in writing, once he put down his brush, he indeed instantly passed away in a state of liberation. Only someone who has attained freedom from birth and death can have such a state of accomplishment!

請按讚：

Dharma King Gar Tongstan Ciren Gyatso demonstrated his world-astounding mastery over his own birth and death by practicing the supreme dharma method of cultivation transmitted by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.

By Liu Yinghong

In Buddhism, mastery over one’s own birth and death has always been a legend. Yet, in September of 2018, I saw that with my own eyes!

The Buddhism founded by Sakyamuni Buddha has been propagated in the world for more than 2,000 years and has evolved into various sects and schools, each with its own teachings and traditions. Patriarchs, eminent monastics, and greatly virtuous people have all talked about how they themselves possess the best teachings, boasting that they themselves can teach people the ultimate accomplishment and liberation. Yet, what are the results? As proven by facts, very few people in history truly attained the accomplishment of actual liberation. Rather, the overwhelming majority of people have been unable to attain accomplishment from practicing dharma.

There have been those who attained outstanding accomplishment, such as Bodhidharma, Hui Neng, and Han Shan. In more recent times, there were Xu Yun, Hui Ming, Sheng Qin, and other elderly dharma masters. There were also Guru Padmasambhava, Master Tsongkhapa, Master Karmapa, Venerable Atisa, and Venerable Suchandra, among others. Still, persons of holy virtue with the kind of accomplishment of those people are so rare. Especially in the last 100 years or so, the dharma-ending era has taken a deeper and more pervasive hold. The true dharma of the Tathagatas is already almost completely lost. This applies even to leading figures of the modern era who were world-renowned people with titles such as eminent monastics or greatly virtuous ones, for when they approached the end of their lives, they suffered from pain till the very end. They did not attain liberation from birth and death, not to mention having control over their own birth and death.

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has brought the great dharma of the Tathagatas to the human world, resumed the original teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha, restored Buddhism to how it was when Sakyamuni Buddha was in this world, and even brought about a template by which Buddhists get faster and higher accomplishment through diligent cultivation. Such great dharmas include The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation, initiation into the “Holy Inner-Tantric Jingxing Dharma,” dharma methods of cultivation that are beyond compare, and supreme dharmas that lead quickly to accomplishment. Such teachings and dharmas, which are innumerable, have never been previously brought to this world by any other holy person in history.

It is widely known that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has reached the pinnacle of accomplishment in the Five Vidyas and that His Holiness has the holy realization of a Buddha. This has indeed been validated by all kinds of facts. I would, however, like to propose that everyone give some thought to one thing. The accomplishments of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, just like the accomplishments of Sakyamuni Buddha, are the accomplishments of a Buddha and have nothing to do with us. What is truly intimately relevant to us is that we Buddhists can become accomplished through following the teachings. It is this that is of utmost importance!

Moreover, a disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, Dharma King Gar Tongstan Ciren Gyatso, who was the President of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters, demonstrated his world-astounding mastery over his own birth and death!

In his lifetime, Dharma King Gar Tongstan had learned from many famous figures within Buddhism. Since he became a disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III in 1995, it was as if he had found the rarest and most precious treasure. His experience was just like that of Luosang Zhenzhu Geshe, the only Larampa Geshe among the Han Chinese people, who, when answering a reporter’s question, said that his previous sixty years of learning Buddhism could not match one day of learning from H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III! Think of the implications of that!
After Dharma King Gar Tongstan learned dharmas and cultivation practices transmitted by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, he gave up all the ineffective dharmas that he had learned before and dedicated himself to practicing the profound Buddha-dharmas transmitted by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. His realization advanced by leaps and bounds, and he attained perfect good fortune and wisdom. In 2004, he demonstrated the vajra power of one who has the most extraordinary physical strength in the world. At the Holy Buddha-Bathing Dharma Assembly, as witnessed by many, he lifted the Buddha-bathing lotus tub weighing more than 4,000 pounds to pour water from it. In 2009, in front of many people, he performed a dharma by which his consciousness exited his body and fetched a vajra pill that was a distance away from him. Ultimately, the Dharma Kingilluminated his mind, saw his original nature, and realized the dharma-body (dharmakaya). The Silver Box Dharma Discourses, in which he talks about his realizations, are to this day widely distributed in the world.
In 2015, the planning and preparatory committee for the building of the Juexing Temple in Taiwan invited Dharma King Gar Tongstan to serve as the abbot of the temple. In a letter dated July 16, 2016, Dharma King Gar Tongstan wrote to the committee, telling them that he could not serve as the abbot of the temple because he does not have such karmic conditions. (For details, please see “Answer No. 18” in the “Important Replies from Holy Virtuous Ones and Eminent Monastics” issued by the Inquiry Center of WBAH.)
In 2017, a person of holy virtue by the name of Chen Yigu wrote the article I Dare to Guarantee What Merit Is and What Sin Is, and Buddha-Bestowed Nectar. That article quoted words from Dharma King Gar Tongstan informing Buddhist practitioners that he could not wait until the foundation of Ancient Buddha Temple is laid: “I, Gar Tongstan Ciren Gyatso, am simply not qualified to be the abbot of Ancient Buddha Temple.…I am not even qualified to be the supervisor of Ancient Buddha Temple. Furthermore, I already lack the karmic conditions to see and pay obeisance to Ancient Buddha Temple.…Although I am confidently in control of my birth and death, I am not sure I can return to the human world after arriving at a Buddha-land. That is because I do not know whether Amitabha Buddha will allow me to return to the human world to pay respect to the Buddha in person, unless H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, my beneficent Master, summons me.” What great Buddha-dharma it is by which the Dharma King could attain such accomplishment and confidently foretell his own birth and death!

In “Inquiry Reply No. 20180102” issued in 2018 by WBAH, it was stated, “Today, two members of the board of directors of World Buddhism Association Headquarters went to seek instructions from the Dharma King, as some people are asking when the Dharma King will leave this world in a state of liberation. Dharma King Gar Tongstan said that he had accomplished control over his birth and death by practicing a dharma, the yidam of which is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. He said that once a last dharma is performed, he will write a decision letter about his leaving this world and then will leave this world in a state of liberation. He stated that he will not waste any time. Upon hearing that, members of the Persons of Holy Virtue Group at WBAH immediately entered a supernatural observance and found that Dharma King Gar Tongstan had already fully realized the status of Shang Zun at the level of Gold Button Grade 3!

Why was the Dharma King able to speak with such certainty? In today’s world, where could people possibly find such Buddha-dharma by which they can attain control over their own birth and death? For almost 100 years, there has not been Buddha-dharma that astounded the world in this way. The Dharma King said that once a last dharma has been performed, he would leave this world in a state of liberation as soon as possible. What dharma was he waiting for? What kind of decision letter would he leave behind? Anyway, that would happen very soon. It was just a matter of waiting for a dharma assembly to take place. We eagerly waited to see whether what he said was empty talk or a reference to an actual great dharma!

In September 2018, Dharma King Gar Tongstan beseeched his beneficent Buddha Master, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, to perform a holy fire-mandala grand offering. He said, “Your Holiness the Buddha should use this highest and greatest dharma of the Tathagatas to verify whether those who flaunt the banners of their lineages in society are ordinary or holy people, whether they are amateurs in Buddhism who have lost the lineage of true dharma. Those who carry evil views have made much efforts in social-media websites on the internet to undermine and slander the conduct and dharma of my beneficent Master, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. This is the only way for us to refute their evil and show what true Buddha-dharma is!”

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “You are wrong. One must not cause others to feel bad for one’s own sake. I am not able to perform that dharma. Even if I were to perform it, I would only be able to chant according to the rituals.”

Dharma King Gar Tongstan continued to beseech, “My beneficent Buddha Master, even assuming that dharma is not performed for the sake of validating Yourself, that dharma still needs to be performed for the sake of validating the true dharma of the Tathagatas, for the sake of living beings in the entire Western world so as so eliminate their disasters and pray for their good fortune, and for my sake, Your disciple Gar Tongstan Ciren Gyatso, who is beseeching true Buddha-dharma so that I may have the requisites for my accomplishment!”

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III then said, “Since this relates to the great cause of spreading true Buddha-dharma in the entire Western world, and for the sake of praying for good fortune to benefit living beings, you can rest assured that this dharma assembly will be performed. Even if I do not do perform it, a person of tremendously holy virtue will perform it.”

On September 17th, a metalwork specialist led a team to rush the fabrication of a brass cauldron. On September 18th, Sister Xuan Hui brought sandalwood pieces and charcoals from the residence of Dharma King Gar Tongstan to be burnt during the homa fire-offering. On September 19th, the “Holy Fire-Offering Grand Dharma Assembly” was formally held at the Holy Miracles Temple in the United States.

The “Holy Fire-Offering Dharma” is the king of all dharmas in eliminating karmic hindrances and increasing good fortune. About eighty years ago in Tibet, this dharma was once successfully performed by Master Phapongka and Kangsa Rinpoche. Ever since, both in Tibet and the regions of the Han Chinese, the so-called fire-offering dharma has been something that is merely described in books or described orally as being a holy dharma practice; that is, there has not been any actual manifestation of holy states during that time. There have only been conventional dharma practices performed through the chanting of rituals.

However, on September 19th at the Holy Fire-Offering Grand Dharma Assembly that was performed by one of tremendously holy virtue at Holy Miracles Temple in the United States, Vajra Maternal Buddha personally arrived in the sky. Her entire tall and enormous blue body emitted light. In an article published on the internet, someone said that theysaw Vajra Maternal Buddha flick a finger, sending forth a flash of light from the sky. The fire inside the cauldron then ignited.

However, I have interviewed quite a few people who saw something different. They saw that Vajra Maternal Buddha, who was blue, manifested Her appearance in the sky. She was enormous, very tall, and extremely dignified and majestic. Her body and movements changed. A net of fire and lightning swirled around Her entire body. As soon as the fire-ignition guardian finished beseeching Her to ignite the fire, Vajra Maternal Buddha suddenly emitted a flash of light from between Her eyebrows directly into the fire cauldron. In an instant, a raging fire started burning! At that time, only five pieces of sandalwood had been placed inside the fire cauldron. How could such a raging fire possibly ignite in an instant?

Subsequently, the demons captured inside the vajra demon-subduing bowl struggled desperately to escape, trying to shake the bowl to find an exit. Right at the moment that the bowl shook, Vajra Maternal Buddha again sent forth a flame from between Her eyebrows directly toward the demon-subduing bowl. Suddenly, the sound “Hong” was heard. The demon-subduing bowl emitted golden flames, instantly turning the demons and black karma of the attending cultivators into pulverized powder. Vajra Maternal Buddhasubdued the demons, whose souls were brought to a Buddha-land to be edified! The nearly 100 cultivators attending the dharma assembly were greatly astonished, and they were all kowtowing non-stop to pay obeisance!

At the dharma assembly, the one of tremendously holy virtue announced to the practitioners, “This dharma assembly has now been performed. Dharma King Gar Tongstan will very soon leave the world.”

Sure enough, this was precisely the last dharma assembly that Dharma King Gar Tongstan said he was waiting for. On the next day, the Dharma King took a bath, changed his clothes, and entered his dharma practice. In front of his meditation seat, there was a writing desk, brush and ink, paper, and white-out fluid. After writing a letter respectfully bidding farewell to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, the Dharma King immediately went into a sitting meditation and passed away in a state of liberation.

When monastics from different temples heard the news and quickly made their way to the site, they found that right after the Dharma King put down his brush, he passed away in a state of liberation gracefully and completely at ease. At that time, everyone came to realize that the Verses of Respectful Farewell written by Dharma King Gar Tongstan are pointing living beings to where the true, great dharma of the Tathagatas is. That is, the true dharma is held and controlled by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. It is the same as the dharma of Sakyamuni Buddha; namely, Buddha-dharma that is non-sectarian and belongs to the entirety of Buddhism!

The following are the Verses of Respectful Farewell written by Dharma King Gar Tongstan:

Verses of Respectful Farewell

Namo beneficent Master, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III

Disciple Gar Tongstan Ciren Gyatso has decided to leave this world.

As life is filled with suffering,

I rushed about learning Buddhism and seeking enlightenment.

I have followed many masters:

Guang Qin, Xuan Hua, Kalu,

And Dharma King Dilgo Khyentse,

Diligently practicing their dharmas and the Sakya unshared LamDre Dharma,

All to no avail.

Thankfully, I met my Buddha Master.

Through the Mahamudra of Liberation that is supreme and unsurpassed,

And the secret initiations and transmissions of holy dharma from my Buddha Master,

請按讚：

President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and several senior congressional members congratulated H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III for His birthday in honor of His status as the supreme leader of all Buddhism and selfless contributions.

LOS ANGELES, CA, August 04, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ — On June 24, 2018, the flag of the United States was raised over Holy Heavenly Lake in California. That flag was not bought from the street. Rather, it was the very flag that on May 15th was fluttering in the sky above the United States Congress in Washington, D.C.. The same flag was later delivered to the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. The raising of that national flag at the Capitol was inspired by the Buddha-character of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.

May 15th is the birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. That national flag was raised at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. specifically for the birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. The flag-raising document stated, “This flag was flown in honor of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, supreme leader of all Buddhism, on the occasion of his birthday."

In their message congratulating H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha IIIon His birthday, United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stated, “His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III, Pasadena, California. Your Holiness, we are pleased to join your family and friends in wishing you a happy birthday! As you celebrate this special occasion, we pray your year ahead is filled with good health, happiness, and the many blessings of our great Nation. With very best wishes." A number of senior congressional members from both the House and the Senate also sent letters to congratulate H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III on His birthday, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce, former Chairperson of the Senate Intelligence Committee Dianne Feinstein, the Ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations Patrick Leahy, and others.

Additionally, the United States Postal Service authorized the issuance of a first-day cover to commemorate this significant day of raising the national flag in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.

On June 24, 2018 when that flag of the United States was flying above Holy Heavenly Lake in California, several thousand Buddhist figures from all over the world voluntarily congregated at Holy Heavenly Lake. Most of them are dharma masters and religious teachers within Buddhism. The “Celebrating the Birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III" Grand Dharma Assembly was held there. Buddhists knelt on the ground with khatas in their hands, waiting for the holy presence of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. At around 5:00 in the afternoon, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III arrived. Guarded and protected by multiple-layers of police officers and S.W.A.T. crews, His Holiness the Buddha walked onto the red carpet. All Buddhists kept chanting loudly, “Namo H.H.Dorje Chang Buddha III!"

Venerable Mozhi, the person in charge of World Buddhism Association Headquarters in the United States, announced at the dharma assembly that a Buddhist city will be built at Holy Heavenly Lake in California. This Buddhist city will be similar to the Vatican, where the Pope of Catholicism resides. The “True Dharma Temple," where H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III will reside, will also be built there. Holy Heavenly Lake is a Buddhist treasure-land. Beneath it is a huge underground crystal lake. Below the lakeside of Holy Heavenly Lake, there is also an underground river which is one of the two great underground rivers in the world that flows from south to north. That place is truly auspicious! The Buddhist city will accommodate temple clusters, businesses, tourism, hotels, rivers and ferry boats, all threaded together into an aquatic city by nautical waterways. Most important of all, the Ancient Buddha True Dharma Temple—the holy site for spreading true Buddha-dharma—will become the most authentic holy site in the world for propagating true Buddha-dharma!

Who is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III? Why is His Holiness given such importance by our nation and respected so broadly by the public?

In December of 2002, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was awarded the Gold Medal issued by President George W. Bush to honor His Holiness’ noble ethics and morality, accomplishments in artistry, and outstanding contributions to humanity. In 2010, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was awarded the World Peace Prize – Top Honor Prize. In 2011, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was awarded the distinguished Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award for International Service and Leadership. In 2018, the status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as the supreme leader of the entirety of Buddhism was once again confirmed!

As early as in 2012, the United States Senate passed Resolution No. 614, formally designating H.H.Dorje Chang Buddha III with the honorific title “His Holiness" (abbreviated as H.H.). Such a title indicated recognition of the highest level, unexcelled and most treasured status. This resolution officially placed the status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III at the highest level. I had the good fortune to ask H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, “I heard that Your Holiness has the status of the Pope of Buddhism and that Your Holiness has received the Buddhist Papal Scepter." H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “Is there any meaning in that? The true Buddhist scepter is to be enlightened and then enlighten others."

The status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was conclusively established according to the system of Buddhist recognition in a manner similar to how the Penchen Lama, Karmapa, and others were recognized. Such status is not self-conferred but determined by the system. According to the Buddhist system of recognition, it only takes two rinpoches or lamas to issue a recognition. The recognition is then considered formally established. In the entire history of formal recognitions within Buddhism, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the one who has received the largest number of recognitions. No one has ever gotten even one-fifth of the recognitions that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has received. This establishment of the position of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III based on conclusive evidence cannot be affected in any way by anybody’s endorsement or veto. Rather, it is a systemic and ironclad conclusion.

It has been twenty years since H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III came to the United States from China. Since it is His vow of conduct not to accept any offerings, His Holiness makes his living mainly from income generated from His paintings and sculptures. His Holiness lives a very simple life yet vigorously supports matters of justice, deeds of benevolence, charity to the needy, and the benefiting of others. His Holiness even sold paintings specifically to cover the expenses of temples and the livelihoods of monastics.

In the early years when H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was in Chengdu, China, living supplies were scarce and people lived on rations. Whenever His Holiness was home, patients with all kinds of illnesses came in an endless stream to seek treatment. Three hundred people registered to seek treatment from Him each day. His Holiness the Buddha always treated patients with no conditions attached and without accepting even one cent. When encountering poor patients who could not afford their medicine, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III even gave His own limited rationed living supplies to those poor and sick patients. Even when His Holiness had nothing to eat and was about to faint, He still refused to accept the food offered by His patients. In His teenage years, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III used the iambic format of “Nian Nu Jiao" to compose the verse “Immediate Entry into the Universe," in which He wrote, “Three thousand patients come to my door. Day and night, I apply herbal medicine to do wonders." That was a depiction of the situation then.

Recently, in the Grand Hall of the Buddha at the Holy Miracles Temple in the United States, Ms. Judy Kuan, who is the younger sister of an important high-level political figure in Taiwan, revealed a deeply hidden secret that people did not know for many years about H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Her reading of the factual account was hosted by dharma masters. Following the beating of the drum and the striking of the bell, in front of the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha and the congregation, she made a grave vow to tell the truth. Such truth astounded everyone in the audience.

She mentioned that the elderly Mr. Pan Shiao Rui, the ship-dismantling king who was a disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, wanted to present offerings to H.H. the Buddha many times. Ms. Kuan was always the contact person for him. Mr. Pan Shiao Rui told her that he and Dharma Master Hsing Yun went to Taiwan together in the early years. At that time, Mr. Pan sponsored all the expenses of Dharma Master Hsing Yun as well as the living expenses of his monastic followers. He was also the sponsor and supervisor of the International Buddha’s Light Association. The affiliated Hsi Lai Temple in the United States was also built mainly from his donations.

In 1999, shortly after H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III came to the United States, Mr. Pan invited H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to San Francisco to look at a piece of land that he wanted to present as an offering. Real estate in San Francisco was priced like gold! Mr. Pan first invited H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to look at a piece of land in the suburbs of San Francisco that was more than 2,000 acres. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III declined his offering, using the pretext that the land was too big. Mr. Pan then found another thirty-seven-acre (approximately 201 Chinese mu) piece of land in the city of San Francisco. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III again declined, using a different reason. Then Mr. Pan found and offered a seven-story Spanish-style building of 65,000 square feet in Oakland, which was again declined by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Having no way to make his offerings, Mr. Pan resorted to presenting monetary offerings each year in huge sums of over US$1,000,000. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not accept even one of them. His Holiness always told Judy Kuan to give Mr. Pan the bank account number of either a Buddhist organization or a temple. However, what you cannot imagine is that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was not even a member of those temples or organizations.

In 2013, the elderly Mr. Pan came for the last time to America to pay respect to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. He said that he had reached an advanced age and was preparing to leave this world. He had come that time to present a large amount of gold as an offering. Mr. Pan was once the deputy chief of staff to Dai Li, who was a senior official in the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party). Mr. Pan was responsible for managing some business and financial affairs for Dai Li. At that time, Mr. Pan bought a large amount of gold, which was put away in a Hong Kong treasury. The gold bars weighed two kilograms to five kilograms apiece, and there was a huge quantity. He wanted to present all the gold to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as an offering. He even discussed with Judy Kuan whether to transport the gold by plane or ship. You can imagine the vast quantity! H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III immediately refused the entire offering and did not even allow him to mention the word “gold" again. To stop the elderly Mr. Pan, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III told him not to mention making an offering again; otherwise, his karmic connection with the dharma would be damaged.

Other people would use all possible methods to arouse their followers to make offerings, yet H.H.Dorje Chang Buddha III rejected such enormous offerings! Is this something an ordinary person could do? Who can have such selfless, greedless character of holy purity! Think about this: If one were given free of charge such an enormous amount of land, buildings, cash, or gold, if one were given such glittering money and wealth with no strings attached, who could remain unmoved? H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was not only unmoved, He graciously declined all of those offerings!

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III came to the United States in 1999. Actually, His life in the United States has always been very arduous, but He has never minded that. All that His Holiness thinks about are the interests of the public. His Holiness serves as a model for others, teaching cultivators with His own words and conduct. For the past twenty years until now, His Holiness has always lived a hard and simple life. I often go to the home office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Mentioning that office may elicit laughter. It is in a corridor right outside a bathroom. With all kinds of books and other things piled up there, the remaining space is at most only four square meters. When someone is coming through the corridor, those sitting there have to get up to let that person through.

You cannot even imagine that in the twenty years during which H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has lived in the United States, His Holiness has not even had a dining table. He always eats His meals at the kitchen counter. Many Buddhist eminent monastics and greatly virtuous ones have eaten meals with H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. They, too, stood beside the kitchen counter just like H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did. Almost all of the space inside the home of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is taken up by the storage of Buddhist objects and His Holiness’ accomplishments in the Five Vidyas. I once personally saw H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III sewing and mending His own clothes. His Holiness said with a smile, “Too bad, I accidentally slit it!" How could an ordinary person fathom the holy purity and greatness of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III?

When one is rich, perhaps one can be indifferent toward donations from others. However, what about when one is poor, in need of money, and is presented with a huge sum of money with no strings attached? Only H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can remain unmoved in such circumstances! In this society, everybody wants to become rich. They dream of becoming rich. When someone else is perfectly willing to give away a huge amount of money and assets with no strings attached, this is everyone’s get-rich dream coming true. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not even take a look at those offerings and simply refused them with ease. Where else in the world is there a person who does not enjoy what he is able to enjoy, who gives up wealth, and who keeps hardships for himself? Who can attain such virtuous conduct? Perhaps only Sakyamuni Buddha and H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can do so.

Before the true identity of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was known to the world, His Holiness the Buddha was already world-famous for having attained the pinnacle of accomplishment in the Five Vidyas. Just in painting alone, His Holiness single-handedly founded sixteen painting styles used in both Chinese and Western painting. The subject matter of those paintings include people, birds, insects, fishes, nature, still life, mountains, water, and landscape. The brushwork includes realistic fine brushstrokes and freehand brushstrokes, and the techniques include abstract, realist, and impressionist techniques. Each work of art is an accomplishment that is unparalleled. His Holiness’ paintings, calligraphy, and sculptures are collected by the International Art Museum of America. The H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum is dedicated to permanently exhibiting artworks created by His Holiness.

This year, senior officials from the White House were guests at the home of His Holiness. One of them asked His Holiness, “Seeing your artistic accomplishments, there is a puzzle that none of us can figure out. Do you spend twenty-four hours every day to create art? Even if you spent twenty-four hours a day, you still could not possibly have created so many artworks!" H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III replied, “I am very ashamed. I am immersed in Buddhist matters every day. I spend so very little time creating art." That senior official from the White House then asked, “We have seen your artworks. There is one piece that you could not have possibly finished even if you worked on it every day for several decades. That is what we are unable to understand. How did it come into being?" The person in charge of the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III replied, “The piece you saw is only one percent of the artworks created by His Holiness the Buddha." Upon hearing that, everyone was even more astounded and puzzled. This truly is a fact that cannot be explained through ordinary human thinking.

In fact, be it the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, sculpture, landscape design, literature, poetry, iambic verses, odes, songs, maxims of philosophy, singing, and other disciplines, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has distinguished expertise in all of them. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can indiscriminately take into his hands any musical instrument and play it. His Holiness is exceptionally accomplished even in scientific research and culinary skills. The physical strength of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is also quite extraordinary. This year, His Holiness effortlessly picked up with one hand an Earth Vajra weighing 220 pounds and put it on the offering table. More than 2,000 people have tried to pick up the same Earth Vajra, including a gym-trainer of extraordinary strength who is in his twenties and weighs over 200 pounds. However, until now, nobody has been able to lift that Earth Vajra off the ground with one hand.

It has been twenty years since H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha IIIcame to America. Throughout all these years, His Holiness has been voluntarily serving the public. Although there are designated people who prepare the meals for His Holiness from another work area, whenever the cooks ask H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III what He would like to eat, He always relies, “I eat whatever you prepare. Something simple and in a small amount is fine." For twenty years, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has never specified the food that He wanted to eat. Those people are cooks in His Holiness’ own kitchen, yet His Holiness has never had any craving for the joy of food throughout these decades!

The innate character of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III cannot be fathomed by common people. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III never reveals His true state of Buddhahood to the world. When evil masters slandered His Holiness by saying He is not a Buddha, He did not mind in the least and never manifested His holy realization to prove that He is a Buddha. Last year, some people of evil spirit brought on demonic forces to damage the wisdom-lifeblood of numerous Buddhist disciples. When someone openly raised questions about that, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III reluctantly manifested the true appearance of Buddha in order to save living beings. White thin hairs instantly emerged between His Holiness’ eyebrows. At the time, some people saw one white hair, while others saw a large tuft of white hairs. Some saw white spiraling hairs intertwined like pearls. Some saw the hairs radiating and standing like steel needles, emitting white light. During the same time, what each person saw was different. A Caucasian who was a high government official said that he did not see the white hairs but did see two completely different visages of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha IIIwithin one minute! When H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha IIImanifested His sambhogakaya appearance as a Buddha, His entire face became the bright and beautiful color of red coral. Moreover, the two sides of His face emitted strong light, like that of the sun, causing some people to be unable to open their eyes. His Holiness also manifested the even-teeth appearance, which is one of the thirty-two marks of a Buddha!

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III truly is an ancient-Buddha Tathagata. No wonder His Holiness has reached the unmatched pinnacle of accomplishment in the Five Vidyas. No wonder His Holiness is perfectly proficient in the sutras and treatises, can do that which is difficult to do, and can endure that which is difficult to endure. No wonder His Holiness has no greed, has no anger, and has not even the slightest mental attachment. His great wisdom is limitless, and His compassion is boundless. All of these qualities are due to the innate character of a Buddha.

Since being recognized as H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III by the leaders of each of the major Buddhist sects and schools, His Holiness has been even more fully occupied with dharma matters. His Holiness no longer creates any paintings. As always, His Holiness voluntarily serves the public, transmitting dharma and expounding dharma for an average of eight to twelve hours a day. His Holiness often grants audiences to disciples until 2:00 or 3:00 in the wee hours of the night. Even though His Holiness has arduously served others on a voluntary basis over such a long period of time, He nonetheless has never accepted any offerings. It seems that there has never been another person in this world who is so selfless, who always puts benefiting others above all else, and who always serves the interests of others without a care for himself. This is truly quite inconceivable!

In this world, people of talent are not necessarily virtuous. Moreover, they are usually talented in one particular discipline. People of virtue may not necessarily be talented. Moreover, the virtue they possess is often ordinary. However, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III possess perfect and flawless virtue along with talent that has reached the apex of accomplishment. Furthermore, what the world respects and admires most is that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III saves living beings out of loving compassion. His Holiness has no anger or hatred at all, even toward those who harmed, deceived, or slandered Him. His Holiness even often prays for those people, wishing them happiness.

For example, many years ago H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was falsely persecuted, which led to the launch of a special investigation by INTERPOL. That was three full years of tribulation. Yet, just as real gold fears no fire, a man of integrity can stand severe tests. The case against His Holiness was dismissed during the 72nd session of the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files. Official written notification was subsequently issued to all member countries of INTERPOL, informing them that they cannot detain H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. China also submitted a report stating that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not commit any crime, and China requested that INTERPOL withdrawal the case against Him. INTERPOL even specially issued a document to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III regarding the conclusion of the case. After His Holiness received that document dismissing His case and clearing Him of all the smearing targeted against Him, His Holiness did not agree to show it on the internet. When asked why not, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “If my name is cleared, then the names of those who harmed me will not be cleared." His Holiness the Buddha does not bear any anger or hatred toward those who harmed Him. His Holiness would rather be misunderstood by the world than have those who slandered and harmed Him experience suffering or dreadful consequences. What selfless, compassionate, and magnificent Buddha-character this is!

This is the way H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is, personally applying His Buddha-virtue to teach and transform people, inspiring others to be good people, to abstain from all evil, to do all deeds of goodness, to be cultivators, and to be people who benefit others. This is the supreme and unconditioned Buddha-virtue.

Buddha-character comes from the state of Buddha-enlightenment that perfectly integrates Buddha-wisdom, Buddha-merit, and Buddha-virtue. The wisdom of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, His world-astounding accomplishments in the Five Vidyas, and His numerous achievements that are at the highest level are openly witnessed by the world. The holy realization of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can be seen when His Holiness manifests His sambhogakaya appearance, when His Holiness teaches the dharma of the Tathagata, successfully invokes the presence of Amitabha Buddha, causes holy holy nectar (amrita) to descend to earth, and saves countless living beings. The Buddha-virtue of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III entails great compassion and forbearance. It is free of greed, anger, and attachment. It is completely devoid of selfishness, and is totally dedicated to benefiting others. Such purity and nobility exceeds even the brightness and purity of the sun and moon! When we see such inner character of a Buddha in H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, what can we who are ordinary beings say?

All I can say is that I ask everyone to reflect a bit on the following few questions:

Presented with offerings of a huge amount of gold, land, and wealth, His Holiness was completely without greed and remained unaffected. Who can do that?

Holding a document from INTERPOL that cleared Him of all the accusations fabricated against Him, His Holiness simply locked the document into a safe without making any use of it. Who can do that?

Having made the lifetime vow of not accepting any offerings, His Holiness is continuously busy expounding dharma to people and serving the public from early morning till late at night, even up to 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, without receiving even one cent in return. Who can do that?

The truth is, probably only Sakyamuni Buddha, all Buddhas in the ten directions, and H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can do so!